Direct tax refunds down 10% amid Covid-19 pandemic, says CBDT

Only withheld refunds where assessee reply is awaited, says CBDT

Direct tax refunds are down 10 per cent, compared to the same period last year, despite the central government’s efforts to expedite these amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Refunds, or cash outflow from the income-tax (I-T) department, stood at Rs 74,000 crore up to July 18 this fiscal, against Rs 82,000 crore worth of refunds disbursed in the same period last year.

According to a senior Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) official, refunds have been held up in only cases where response is awaited from assessees and/or where cases  have been picked up for scrutiny.

“Refunds are held